Generally speaking, the present invention is directed to a single pole, double throw snap switch which comprises, a terminal board having an aperture substantially at its center portion; a pair of electrical terminals carried by the terminal board closely spaced from one another providing a gap therebetween; a third electrical terminal carried by the terminal board and extending into the gap; a spring contact arm having opposed ends, one of the ends pivotly carried in a slot provided in a wall of the aperture, the other end extending into the gap and engaging the third terminal; a shaft extending into the aperture and a rotor carried by the shaft to be rotatable therewith; and actuator means carried by the rotor engaging the spring contact arm to move same between the first and third and between the second and third electrical terminals.
The present invention relates to electric switches and more particularly relates to snap switches including those of the type mounted on the back of volume controls and which are designed to switch fairly heavy currents used in radio and television circuits and sets.
By the very nature of their use, the size of these switches is important as relatively small dimensions are characteristic of the specifications and dimensions set forth in these circuits. However the small diameter, shallow depth housing leads to difficulty in obtaining the requisite spring action or movement range for efficient make-and-break contact. It is also difficult to obtain prolonged life between the contacts by providing an efficient, self-cleaning and non-arcing means within the switch.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,324,261 issued June 6, 1967 there is described a snap switch which provides a simple, economical and efficient snap switch wherein all of the aforementioned desirable features are obtained at a minimum of material and labor cost, and wherein a small, compact, highly efficient structure is obtained having optimum calibration and alignment techniques, lack of depth, good wipe characteristics of the contacts and no current carried through the flexing portions of the contact spring except at the moment of switching.
The present invention represents an improvement over the switch described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,324,261 primarily in that such switch is limited to a single pole single throw switch.